Black-and-white elements, bright colors, architectural details — there are a myriad number of ways to create the ideal connective environment.

Designer Troy Bankord shares the design tips behind five of his favorite projects, including this one called Black & White.

PHOTOGRAPH BY NORMAN PATE

The desire to attain the perfect symbiotic relationship between indoor and outdoor living is a mantra heard throughout the Coachella Valley. Designer Troy Bankord has a keen understanding of the power and impact that connective living spaces can have in our day-to-day lives, and he’s been bringing them to life for over three decades. Or, as he so artfully puts it, he creates connective indoor and outdoor sanctuaries that are “Places of Peace.”

Here, he shares the design tips behind five of his favorite projects.

Black & White

This home was originally painted white with black trim. Bankord’s idea was to pull the black onto the residence wall and into the living area of the home to add warmth and a dramatic backdrop for art, plantings, and furnishings. “The hardscape around the pool is white Marbella shell stone — a tie-in to the residence and a continuance of my desired vision of a clean, modern, black-and-white design scheme,” he says.

“Stainless steel fire pits were designed and installed as a modern sculptural focal point in the center of the space, while stainless steel cone lights were added onto the residence wall for their groovy architectural shape, midcentury vibe, and beautiful lighting pattern after hours.”

Vista Las Palmas 1

“This home had many black-and-white design elements to it, so I chose black beach pebbles as a ground cover for the succulent garden, allowing the white boulders and plantings to pop,” says Bankord.

He adds that the homeowners love succulents, agave and cacti and he used their textural forms as an effective method for creating a communal living environment.

PHOTOGRAPH BY CAROLYN GREYSHOCK

“The soft pebbles create a nice contrast to the sharp angles of the home and the white boulders, creating a beautiful balance,” he says. “Black-and-white vintage outdoor furniture keeps the feeling light and airy while the outdoor fabric in green-aqua pull the interior furnishings, pool, and succulents together as one.”

Vista Las Palmas 2

The original white terrazzo floors at this Hal Levitt-designed home in Vista Las Palmas flow from inside to out. There was also a white boulder planted within the terrazzo steps going up to the pool area from the living room.

PHOTOGRAPH BY CAROLYN GREYSHOCK

“The white boulder—along with the stone installed on the facing of the home — was my inspiration for the landscaping,” says Bankord. “White Lone Pine boulders were located and set within the planting beds and lawn in both the front and rear to pull the home’s interior outward into the garden, and to pull the home itself into the site.”

PHOTOGRAPH BY DANIEL RYAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Driftwood Palms

“The inspiration for indoor-outdoor connectivity on this project was a tad more complicated,” says Bankord. “The pool and circular drive were the only curved elements on the property—everything else was cold and angular.”

His solution was to design circular steel rings that were welded within the openings of the original steel posts along the rear of the home, and then the rings were painted white so they would have a “popping” effect when lit up at night.

“Circular, architectural planting bowls soften the home’s sharp angles while hot coral pillows and geraniums connect with the custom-painted hanging chandelier over the living area bar. Drapery panels within the living area frame the mountain views while also providing further indoor-outdoor connectivity.”

Bankord named this project “Driftwood Palms” since there are a lot of palm trees on the property and because of the driftwood color “drifting” through the inside and outside of the home.

Ralph Haver

A block wall with cubed openings that protrude from the residence into the landscaping served as the inspiration for Bankord’s design at this 1956 home designed by Ralph Haver

PHOTOGRAPH BY RICHARD MAACK

Bankord installed an angular block wall that mimics the home’s hipped roof to create layering and depth from the street. “The same-sized openings were created within the new wall’s block as a tie-in to the home,” he says. “Three wooden panels extend on an angle from the roofline, connecting the home into its site.”

The wooden panels mirror ones installed inside the home by Haver and were painted in the same color. An organic gravel roof was installed to match the gravel in the yard

Blue Skies Village 1

The community of Blue Skies Village in Rancho Mirage was originally founded by Bing Crosby in the 1950s as a getaway for some of his Hollywood friends. Bankord added a living room, master bedroom, and a carport/viewing deck to one of the community’s original mobile homes.

Blue Skies Village 2

The homeowners had purchased a brightly colored steel sculpture that Bankord placed in a focal point corner of the living room. “They also wanted to retain the original harvest gold kitchen and avocado bathtub,” he says. “So it was my job to blend both contemporary and midcentury color schemes together effectively and successfully.”

PHOTOGRAPH BY DANIEL RYAN PHOTOGRAPHY

He pulled colors from the sculpture onto the exterior doors, fascia, plantings, fountain, accent stripes, and pillows in the built-in seating area.

“Accent stripes adorn the [walls of the] home’s interior, further punching up the wow factor, while also acting as a tie-in to the home’s horizontal galvalume facing. The linear effect then flows inside-out on the entire project.”